The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-08-05

over the counter OF the fumSelleF IN one
day in New York City alone, who will
dare assert that working-men do not
pay one-hfth, or S50,0 900 of that sum-. X
worklng-men in New York City spend
SJo,ooO day for drink, they spend $780, COO
a week, leaving Sunday out In four
weeks they spend 81, 200, O0O-over twice as
much money as was paid into the General
Assembly or the Knights of Labor in nine
years In SIX weeks they spend 81. 900. OOJ
nearly three times as much money az
that army of organized workers. the
Knights of Labor. have spent from the dav
the General Assembly was first called to
order up to the present day; and in one
year the working-men of New York City
alone will have spent for beer and rum
SIS, 100000, or enough to purchase and
equip first-class telegraph line of their
own. Fifteen million dollars-enough
money to invest in such cooperative en-
terprises as would forever end the strike
and lockout as means of settling DIS
putes in labor circles.
A single county in Pennsylvania, so am
informed, spent in one year Sl7. 600, 900 for
drink That county contains the largest
industrial population, comparatively, of
any in the State. OF the 100000
Sll,O00000 come from the pockets of
near contributes S15, 600 900 to keep men
ana women in poverty, hunger and cold,
whlle one county in Pennsylvania adds
Sll,00O,OOO, making a total of S25.600, 000-
TWenty-slx million six hundred thousand
dollars! have conumdrum to ask of
you, Mr.. Purdy: If the general officers Of
the knights OF Labor are thieves because
they levy an assessment which brings in
less than a dollar apiece for each man,
woman and child who needs it, what
would you call the men who collect as a
voluntary gift from foolish wOrking-men
the sum of S26, 900, 010 in one years
The press and not a few indignant
working-men, raved because the twenty
ive-cent assessment was levied; but both
press and indignant working men remain
ed silent while that damnable robbery of
S26 O0O,0 900 was going on. Who arraigns
the poor drunkard now! Does he nos ar
raign himself before the bar of condemna-
ton every time he ranges himself before
the bar of a rum hole2
The Richmond session of the General
Assembly voted $50 900 to purchase head
quarters for the order; $4,000 went
to buy tAe building on Broad
street. Philadelphia. For complying
with the order of the General As
sembly, the general officers have been
abused and slandered most villainously,
principally by men who never contributed
a cent toward the purchase of the build
ing. The enemies of the Order have
styled the headquarters, "The Palace"
On another streetin the city of Philadelphia
there is saloon called the "Palace" l
inquired of the proprietor what it cost him,
and he said $4,000. Nine years ago he be-
gan business, selling rum, on a capital Of
S73. and in that time he has acquired the
money with which to purchase the build
ing and the lot on which it stands. He
also owns $4,000 in railroad securities
all on an original cash capital of S73. His
patrons are chiefly working-men. Why do
we not hear a protest go up against the
means by which that palace was erecteda
at is not required Of you by the
constitution or laws of the Knights
of Labor" 1 know it. Neither is
it, stated in the constitution of the
order that 1 shall not stand on the
public highway and rob the passer- by, yet
know that should not do such thing.
If saw man about'to hang himself the
constitution does not specify that [ should
cut the rope.
"You could we'll afford to remain silent,
or at least neutral, preferring to teach by
example rather than by precept" If L
cared more for the praise and appreciation
of lab)r's enemies than do for the inter-
ests of labor, would remain silent The
man who remains neutral while his friend
is in the gras of an enemy, or while his
friend is IN danger, is a coward at heart
and does not deserve the name of man or
friend. Remain silent and neutral while
the house IS On fire and you have nothing
left but blackened, defaced walls and
ashes.
Teach by examplel l can not, in so
large a country as this. II my example is
good, then my words should proclaim it to
the world. l am no better than other men,
but the virtue of temperance is good, even
in bad man, and that is what l wish to
hold up before our memb and working
men outside of our order.
livery much fear that you will be mis-
understood" Do not fear; 1 will not be
misunderstood when this letter is read.
am not fanatic. do not damn the man
who sells liquor. l have nothing against
him. Many men who sell liquor were once
working men and were victimized through
a strike or lockout l would not injure a
hair of their heads, but Iwould so educate
working men that they would never enter
a saloon. Then the money saved from
rum and rum holes would go to purchase
necessaries, and such an increased Stmu-
lus would be given to trade that the rum
seller could return to an honest way Of
making a living.
may be taken to task for being severe
on the w0rkingmen. 1t may be said that
SANDER them, even. Ii to tell the truth
is to be severe, then on this one question l
hope some day to be severity itself; but
speak to working-men because it is in their
welfare that am interested. / have not
been delegated to watch or guard the
fortunes OF millionaires, and in no way can
hope to accomplish any thing until | state
my policy freely and frankly to those
represent. We ire seeking to reform ex-
isting evils. We are seeking to reform
ourselves.
Some mischievous urchins once found
man sleeping by the roadside. They pro-
cured some SCOT and blackened his face.
When he awoke and went into the crowd
cd street every man he met laughed at
him He did not learn the cause of the
merriment until friend held mirror up
before him. He became very mad, and
for time felt angry toward the man who
held the mirror; but he soon came to his
senses, laid the blame where it properly
belonged, and thanked the man who
showed him why others ridiculed him.
l am holding the mirror up 10 human
nature. True, it exposes folly nj vice.
l may and do receive condemnation, but if
can only show the men l speak TO, who
it is that is backcning their faces, char
actcrs and hearts; if l can only show them
how to remove the stains and become
sober men again, will be content to put
up with their anger, for ] know that they
will one day thank me or bless my memory
for the words have spoken, and written
in the cause of temperance.
T. Y. PowDERLY.
TEMPERANCE ITEMS.
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